‘Congress will fight municipal polls independently in Maharashtra’, says Nana Patole

Sandeep Singh: Congress had taken a stand to fight municipal elections independently. Is there any change in the stand?

As per our political strategy, Congress fought the byelections of the local bodies’ polls on its own and the results were good. A large number of municipal councils, municipal corporations and zilla parishads will go to the polls in the coming months. Looking at the local situation, we will contest these elections independently.

Vishwas Waghmode: Earlier, you had conveyed to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray that it would be better to fight elections solo as the votes of Congress and Shiv Sena won’t get transferred to each other. After the results of five state elections, will you contest the elections as part of Maha Vikas Aghadi or independently?

There is a difference in the vote bank of Congress and Shiv Sena. When elections are fought, there are some disadvantages. The CM is also of the same opinion. The MVA government has been formed due to circumstances. For the Congress, it was not possible to join hands with the Shiv Sena. However, considering the situation, Soniaji took the decision to be a part of the government. Our intent was to save democracy and serve the people. A common minimum programme was prepared for the government formation. The high command decide on whether to continue this alliance or not.

Vishwas Waghmode: Is Congress planning to contest polls of 10 municipal corporations, including Mumbai, independently or as part of an alliance?

These elections are for party workers, so they should be given a chance. Contesting local body polls independently helps the party to expand its base. In Maharashtra, Congress has a substantial base. As far as Mumbai is concerned, we will contest polls independently.

Sandeep Singh: There have been constant accusations against MVA ministers and questions raised against some senior police officers. Do you think that this is tarnishing the government’s image?

False allegations are being levelled against the government. Like you saw the pen drive with 120 hours of (phone tapping) footage. Who knows what truth is there in it but this issue was placed by him (former CM Devendra Fadnavis) before the Assembly. While truth will ultimately prevail, the image of the government and the administration is getting tarnished and Maharashtra is getting defamed. Once the public sees and understands the reality, those defaming the state will face trouble.

Yogesh Naik: Your phone was tapped during the tenure of the BJP government. Why do you think you were targetted?

The Fadnavis government was then at the helm and the entire police department was being used to tap phones of journalists, IPS and IAS officers as well as members of political parties. The politics of blackmailing and hatred was started in the state during the BJP regime. Rashmi Shukla, (then State Intelligence Department commissioner) who tapped these phones, needed to take the permission of the director general of police and then of the state government. One cannot tap phones without permission. If one does, then he/she is the culprit. The government gave approval for it but there is a limit on how many days can one’s phone be tapped… it can’t be done for a year. My name was mentioned as Amjad Khan instead of Nana Patole. How was it approved for the second time? My phone was tapped for 70 days. This BJP’s strategy is its ‘Gujarat Pattern’, which is a blackmailing pattern. And the same pattern was brought into Maharashtra through the Fadnavis government. This is shameful and doesn’t happen in Maharashtra.

Yogesh Naik: Many Congress ministers have complained that their ministries are not getting sufficient funds. Do you think they get step-motherly treatment in the MVA government?

This happens. Even in the Modi government, Nitin Gadkari also complains. Here, it is a three-party government. The financial problems that rose post the Covid-19 pandemic have impacted government, infrastructure projects. I feel that in the next Budget, there will be improvements. All the backlog will be cleared.

Laxman Singh: The PM recently blamed the Maharashtra government for asking migrants to leave the state and blamed it for the further spread of Covid-19. What do you say to this?

The entire nation has different expectations from the PM. He should no longer behave like a member of a particular party. While giving a parliamentary speech, the PM spoke like an RSS activist. How long will the BJP continue to blame others for its faults? Now that you have the power, why not do something right?

Sandeep Singh: Two MVA ministers are in jail due to actions taken by Central agencies and recently, Special Public Prosecutor Pravin Chavan, resigned in connection with the audio recordings in Jalgaon case. There are many agencies taking actions. Do you think that BJP will be more aggressive after its victory (in recent Assembly elections)?

Whoever does something wrong in this country, our nation’s democracy does not accept it. The BJP thinks that since they are elected by people and have a majority government, they can do anything. Samay Sabka hota hai. Revengeful politics and misuse of central agencies are taking place. I have been in politics for nearly 30 years. We never heard about ED earlier. Now, even a simple villager who takes cows/cattle for grazing knows ED’s name. The ED was a Brahmastra (rarely used weapon), which they have made it a common thing. Someone says something and people are booked by ED. This vindictive politics started in the country after the Modi government took over. However, this will not last for long.

Vishwas Waghmode: On OBC reservation, you had expressed the apprehension that the Supreme Court could dismiss the 27 per cent reservations. What has gone wrong in the MVA’s handling of this issue?

It is clear that the BJP, through Uniform Civil Code, wants to end reservation in the country. First, it wants to do away with OBC reservation and subsequently, remove reservation for SC/ST communities. The BJP wants that in any condition, a certain sense of disharmony and social dissatisfaction, should remain. It is like the fable we heard in our childhood of a rabbit who feels that cloud is bursting when a leaf falls on him. The BJP is also using the same technique. It creates paranoia to divert from the main issues. They want people to continue fighting over reservation while the main issue, including employment, remains unaccounted for.

Vishwas Waghmode: The Congress is facing a leadership crisis. Do you think there is a need for change?

The internal elections of the party are to be held now. An announcement has been made in the Congress Working Committee. The membership drive is on and will go on till March 31. After that, internal elections will be held. The constitutional process of the party will be followed and Rahulji will become the president of the party. All Congress workers have respect for the Gandhi family and will continue to to feel the same in future as well. Nobody can finish that. Gandhi family is the heart of Congress workers.